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Hands on at the release of Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note 5

This morning in Auckland saw the unpacking of the latest phones in Samsung’s lineup, the Galaxy S6 edge+ and the Galaxy Note 5. We had the chance to get hands on with the device, and find out where Samsung are heading too.

At the Seafarer’s club, a select group of media were treated to an unveiling of Samsung’s latest phablets by their New Zealand Managing Director Ms Kenny Yeon. Having been an owner of a Galaxy Note 5 for a little while, she’s had to keep it under wraps until today, and was understandably proud of the latest iteration of a primary work tool for many business people across New Zealand.

The Head of Commercial for Samsung New Zealand, Stefan Lecchi, took us through the features of the two devices. Samsung can be trumpeted as inventing a new category of device, the Phablet, which was pooh poohed for many years, yet now is the fastest growing sector in the flagship market.

The Galaxy S6 edge+ has taken the innovative approach that Samsung introduced with the S6 edge, and scaled it up to 5.7″ of beautiful Quad HD Super AMOLED screen estate. The dual curved edges have received even more capabilities, and the edge+ is a delight to use. Even as a reluctant Android user, I was smitten by the edge+, with its 16MP camera offering fantastic HDR shots, live streaming, and 4K video.

The Galaxy Note 5 offers amazing capabilities for business people, with the S-Pen offering some amazing features. I could jot down somebody’s contact details, and the Note 5 would convert my scrawl into a recognisable contact that can be updated very easily. With 4GB of RAM, Stefan showed a video playing that could be zoomed in and out without a stutter. The Note 5 could easily replace a number of tools in your bag, maybe even the bag.

Stefan, Kenny, Mike Cornwell and the team sat down with us after the presentation and gave us some insights into the close working relationship they have with the telecommunications companies, with Samsung maintaining a large engineering team to provide customers with the latest updates and improvements specific to the New Zealand market. The ability of the Note 5 and edge+ to fast charge was shown by the Note 5 being charged from flat to over 30% in less than 20 minutes. Its newest wireless chargers will charge them from flat to full in less than 2 hours. This technology has allowed Samsung to shave even more off their phones, with the edge+ having 2mm shaved off its sides. It might not sound much, yet compared to the iPhone 6 Plus, the edge+ and even the Note 5 feel slender.

The Galaxy S6 edge+ and the Note 5 will go on sale in 32GB and 64GB on August 28th (prices to be confirmed), and we look forward to giving it the full review and testing out its features.